I Listened
by harrietwrites
Summary: "You don't know the effect you have on me, do you?" Very AU - Renovator!Peeta


I'd never thought I'd move to London. The bustling city center had my senses turned away for years, the thought of moving into a town with such a busy night life, and enough atmosphere to power a city every night really threw me off, but after much negotiation and talking myself up, I decided I needed a change of scenery.

I'd previously lived in a small town North of Chester, where I'd grown up with my two younger sisters, who were now either married or living up the high life in Santa Monica. As soon as I had turned 23, I had moved out of home and found myself searching for apartments in London, my fingers crossed that I might stumble upon one close to the underground. Luckily, I'd found a not-so-shabby looking home around 15 minutes walk from the nearest station, which didn't absolutely kill my salary and had a nice view of the London skyline.

"That's everything!" I announced, clapping my hands together as I dropped the last box into my half made up bedroom. I'd spent a few days slowly unpacking and moving boxes up to the fourth floor apartment on 15 Jennings Avenue, London. There seemed to be more than I remembered, but nevertheless I'd moved them all up, with the help of my best friend Scarlett Barese.

"You have a lot of stuff for someone your age," Madge puffed, falling backwards onto my queen sized bed, now made up with the thousands of pillows and blankets that I'd collected, "are you sure you're not a hoarder?"

I scoffed, landing myself onto the antique armchair, given to me by my parents as a housewarming gift, "Says you, the one with around 20 different tea cups."

"They're pretty!"

"You don't even like tea!" I replied, and Madge rolled her eyes, "I think we need a drink, to break in the apartment."

"Katniss Everdeen, I would never have picked you as a morning drinker!" Madge said, pushing herself up from the bed and drumming her fingers against her now crossed arms.

I poked my tongue out at her, moving from the bedroom and into the living area, which consisted of the comfiest couch I'd ever sat on, a decently sized television, a plush rug Madge had insisted I buy, "It'll bring out the sazzy-ness of your taste!", assorted pictures of my friends and family which were hoisted up onto the walls with a nail and hammer, a kitchen bench matched with an island, with a fridge and stove, a sink in tow and a dishwasher, which I had bought at vast expense.

Well, it was either that or a coffee machine.

I heaved one of the cardboard boxes onto the kitchen bench, plunging my hand into the packing-popcorn and pulling out two tea-cups, muttering, "These will have to do for now."

"Lucky you bought that champagne last night otherwise we would've been drinking that God awful cask wine that Johanna is obsessed with." She grabbed one of the glasses from my hand and walked towards the fridge, pulling out the chilled bottle of cheap champagne she seemed to love so much.

"If you break any of my windows, you're splashing out, not me." I warned her, pulling open the window beside the fridge, "Just shoot it out there."

She smiled, unwrapping the cover of the cork and placing her thumb underneath the cork, "quick, stick your cup underneath so we don't lose any."

I chuckled at her attitude and placed my cup underneath the nozzle of the bottle, "come on then, off with it."

"Alright. Drum roll please... Katniss Everdeen, your apartment is officially bro-"

A knock on the door interrupted Madge's monologue, and I put the cup down on the bench, walking over to the frighteningly dreadful yellow door.

I found myself cursing under my breath, exited to finally take a drink since it'd taken days to move into this apartment.

"Oh." I breathed, once the door was wrenched open to reveal a strikingly handsome man, a tool belt slung around his waist, and a satchel in the other. His gold-flecked blue eyes sparkled at me; a few blonde curls fell from his head, which he pushed back and up across his forehead, as he smiled at me, a single dimple forming on his rosy cheek.

"Katniss Everdeen? I'm the renovator you called last week," He spoke, his voice deep and welcoming, making my heartbeat soar, "Peeta."

My mind instantly thought back to the rushed phone call I'd made whilst hopping out the door of my old shared apartment, my mobile threatening to fall from between my shoulder and ear as I shoved the last few bags into my Volkswagen.

"Of course, Peeta Mellark, am I right?" I offered in recognition, bewildered that I'd snagged such a gorgeous man and he nodded, "Come in, I've just finished bringing everything in."

He picked up the toolbox from beside his foot with his chiseled strong arms and sauntered into my living room, placing the box beside the front door, resting his satchel on top.

"Hiiiiiiii, I'm Madge, Katniss' _best_ friend!" Madge giggled, who'd made her way across the room, champagne bottle in hand in under 2 seconds, "It's lovely to meet you."

He accepted her handshake, "Peeta."

I could practically hear her dirty thoughts circling through her mind at this current moment, and trust me; Madge never had dirty thoughts, "We were just about to break in the apartment with a bottle of champagne, would you care to join us?"

I internally groaned at Madge's offer, worried about what horrifying phrases she might use to impress him, and quickly interrupted, "Maybe we should break it in tonight," I hinted, "and I'll shout for pizza."

It took Madge a good 20 seconds, yet she still didn't seem to understand that I was trying to get her to leave so I could begin on discussing the renovation plans.

"You know, maybe at around 6?" I pushed, my eyebrows rising a centimetre, taking the bottle from her hands and pushing her towards her bag, which was perched on one of the stools I had picked out at IKEA to rest underneath the island, "and you've got that meeting in an hour, so you have to get ready!"

It seemed after almost 10 minutes that Madge then seemed to understand my insistence, "Oh, yes! The meeting, I'll have to be off then, nice to meet you Peeta!"

And with that she marched straight out the door, bag in hand, throwing a not-so-discreet a wink at me and slamming it behind her dramatically.

And cue the awkward pause.

"Sorry about that, she's a bit…" I trailed off for lack of a better word.

"Extravagant?" Peeta proposed and I nodded, "it's one of my favorite words."

I raised my eyebrows, thankful that the awkwardness had vanished, "what an exciting word!"

I could really use a punch in the face right about now.

He chuckled at that and pulled out a notepad from the back pocket of his washed down jeans, flecked with white paint, "So, what do you need me to do?"

I clicked onto my plans in my head, "Right, so I'm thinking…"

The first week Peeta had been working throughout the apartment seemed easy, he wasn't a complete nuisance and worked quietly to himself, humming an endless tune with a husky voice, which lulled the silence of the apartment. On Saturday afternoon, Peeta had insisted he continued working, even though I had pushed that he take the afternoon off, having spent the whole week - even late nights - working on the benches and fixing the leaky tap in the bathroom.

After searching, I'd found the London library, signing up for a borrowers card and had found a few books to read in the spare time, including _The Great Gatsby,_ one of my all time favorites. I sat, curled up against the sofa with a blanket as the rain continued to pour outside, as it had all morning. (see: all week). I was nearing the first encounter between Daisy and Jay, which always made my heart flutter at the tension between the two. I heard Peeta enter the room, and as usual he was just grabbing a drink from the tap or washing his hands. It was easy. I didn't worry about him awkwardly making conversation or hanging around me whilst I went around my business. It was easy.

I glanced up at him, and our eyes met as he gulped down the water from one of my glasses. As he lowered the glass, his lips turned up in a delightful smile, which I couldn't help but return. His lips seemed like the perfect lips. I was already imagining myself attached to them. My hands pushed through his blonde locks as his strong hands held onto my hips, pushing me against the wall with haste.

He turned and walked back into my bedroom, as he was currently fixing a shelf above my bed for magazines and books.

And as I returned back to the book, my attention was wandering to the blonde God tending to my shelf.

On the second week of Peeta's renovating, I'd woken up with a start as I heard his hammer connect with the wall of the hallway. I groaned as I glanced at the alarm clock, which notified me that it had passed 9:30, and to be honest, I was gagging for a cup of coffee. I'd got in late last night, Madge insisting on taking me to the newest club that had opened in the city, and she was absolutely beside herself with excitement as her boyfriend had managed to get us V.I.P tickets. I yawned, the craving for coffee growing as I felt myself swallow.

I grabbed the glass of water from my bedside table, taking a sip hastily before coaching myself out of bed.

As a housewarming gift, Scarlett had splashed out and bought me a Nespresso machine, because she knew how much I'd wanted one, and had managed to bully our friend group into chipping in. I'd loved it as if it was one of my own.

I bullied myself into standing up, rubbing my eyes as I shuffled to the door, pulling it open and stepping out into the hallway.

"Careful, there's nails lying around, I haven't picked them up yet," Peeta warned, taking a few steps towards me as I stopped in my tracks, "Hold on."

He took another step towards me and bent down, one hand hovering behind my knee and the other just above my waist, "Do you mind?"

I shook my head and he whisked my feet out from under me, catching me effortlessly with his other arm and stepping out into the kitchen with me in his embrace. I locked my arms around his neck, which was warm and welcoming, and my hands seemed to fit there, curled around his neck and his arms carrying me as though I was a sack of flour. He pulled out one of the stools with his foot and placed me down carefully onto it as I detached my arms from around his neck. My cheeks seemed to be constantly flaming when I was around him. I found my eyes gazing into his as he moved his arms away from me.

"Thanks." I mumbled and he grinned, this dimple emerging on his cheek the way that I had grown to love.

"I don't want my boss getting nails in her foot now, do I?" He mocked shock and I giggled, "the pleasures all mine."

He strolled back to the hallway and I let my eyes trail after him, watching the muscles in his back - which were visible through his tank top - move with the way he walked.

I nearly fell from the stool as my body leaned to get a better view.

I hopped from the stool, and around the island, flicking on the switch the Nespresso machine and leaning up to one of the cupboards that Peeta had installed, pulling two cups, sugar, coffee pods and chocolate powder and landing them onto the bench as I leant to the side to jerk open the fridge door, grabbing the full cream milk, letting the door swing shut as I stood upright, the machine notifying me that it was warmed up.

As I waited for my coffee to finish brewing, I added two sugars to Peeta's drink, tapping the chocolate powder on top, adding more than usual, as Peeta had commented that he loved the 'chocolatey goodness' that I'd added once on top, and whisked the cup away, walking to the end of the hallway and placing his cup down on the phone table, pulling a coaster from the edge of it.

I watched as Peeta looked at me, flashing me one of his signature smiles and a thumbs up, and I nodded, a small smile on my face mirroring his as I turned and returned to my coffee.

On the third week of Peeta's renovation, where he had insisted on adding a new ceiling light to open up the room more, I'd just returned home from work, Peeta having left for the day as he'd a prior commitment during the night that he'd notified me about the previous morning. I'd fallen in the door, completely exhausted from my shift at the local coffee shop, which I'd managed to haggle a job, with the smell of coffee stuck to my hair, and flour splashed across my apron from when Cato, the pastry chef had thrown it at me, as a playful remark I suppose.

As I pulled up my stool at the island, I noticed a vase placed onto the center of it, filled with pink lilies and a note beside it. The fragrant flowers almost sang to me as I lifted one of the petals carefully with my fingertips so I could sniff one, and the scent had my brain whirling. I picked up the note, unfolding it quickly and training my eyes on the words written across the small piece of crafting paper.

 _To the most beautiful girl I know,_

 _A bunch of lilies for your smile, laugh and snores._

The note wasn't signed, and I flipped over the note as my eyebrows furrowed in confusion, my eyes flickering to the wonderful bouquet of flowers, which had me confused for the rest of the night.

At the end of the third week, I'd received an excited phone call from one Madge Undersee, who had scored tickets to Spain for the week, and had decided to take me for my birthday, which was quickly approaching in the next two weeks.

"I swear, if you don't come back tanned, then I'm giving you one myself." Madge exclaimed, pulling out my favorite bikini from the drawer and throwing it into my suitcase, and turning to me, "You have to bring a g-string, or I'm letting you borrow one of mine."

I shook my head at her attitude, chuckling as I folded a short summer dress I had bought a few days ago on the announcement of the holiday, "You're unbelievable!"

A knock at the door turned my focus away from Madge, and I pulled it open to reveal a smiling Peeta, who had one hand tucked into a pair of jean-shorts, which were clean, to my surprise. His other hand rested against his chest, which was clad with a white singlet, hugging to his muscular frame deliciously. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't drooled over it many a time. Or squirmed as my hand aided my mind with the urgent release that my body needed from the sexual frustration this man had given me.

"I've finished all the handy work, but I just need to paint your feature wall behind the telly." He informed me, and I nodded, "I just need a colour scheme and I can begin work when you leave tomorrow."

I smacked my forehead as the word colour scheme left his lips, "Shit, I completely forgot about the paint, and I haven't time to get a tin before tomorrow, or arrange a colour scheme for that matter."

Peeta shuffled his feet awkwardly, and I turned to Madge, who shrugged, holding her hands up as if to say, "I don't know, you handle it."

"You know what, you've been so patient and become a hero to me. So you can paint it anyway you like, however you want." I settled, and Peeta's face transformed into a beaming smile, and I found myself blushing at the intensity.

"Cool, well I'll go to the hardware store this afternoon and begin painting tomorrow." He resolved, lifting his hand to a wave and turned to arrange his toolbox, which he now left here as he spent so much time here, and opened the front door, "Have a great trip Katniss."

My heart beat fluttered at the sound of my name of his tongue and he smiled my favorite smile at me, and then left, leaving me to my confused thoughts.

And Madge's swooning.

"I _told_ you!" Madge cried as we pulled up to my apartment, "You're as black as me, and that's from the coconut oil."

"I know, I know, you _swear_ by it!" I recited, something that Madge had yelled at me constantly every time we left for the pool after breakfast at the hotel, "Now help me get my case out of this _god damned_ boot!"

Madge chuckled at my comment, pulling the suitcase from the boot and shutting the door behind her, then nodded towards the familiar van parked across the street, "Looks as though lover boy is still here."

I slapped her arm, the many conversations had about Peeta returning to my mind.

Madge had ushered me out one night to this 'really groovy' bar that someone had recommended to her, and after ordering us a Mojito, she began the topic of Peeta:

"He's very fit, and you should see the way he looks at you when you're faffing about trying to explain where you want certain things!" She explained and I blushed, waving my hand at her.

"He's very nice and sweet, and honestly one of the best renovators I've ever met!" I defended, and Madge scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"So how do you explain the flowers left on your bench last week? Peeta has a thing for you and _you know it_!" She jabbed my arm with her finger, which actually hurt quite a bit and I was convinced it would leave a bruise, which it did.

"They could've been from anyone! Maybe someone from work had sent them up!" I said, looking for an excuse from what my head was telling me.

"I'm not convinced! Peeta knows where you keep everything and you even said it looked like his writing on the card!" She pointed out, taking a large gulp from her drink, "If you go back, and he hasn't confessed his feelings to you... Well... then... I will bloody well will force it out of him!"

That was definitely a night to remember...

"He must have been here all week," I muttered, glancing up to the windows of my apartment and gripping the handle of my case in my hands, "I'll go see if he's finished."

Madge slapped my bum playfully and I turned to glare at her, "Go get 'em tiger!"

I rolled my eyes at her phrase and pulled the suitcase towards the building, pressing the button for the lift and soaring up to the fourth floor as quickly as the lift would take me.

As I fumbled with my keys, slotting it into the lock and turning it, I could hear scurrying around inside, and pushed open the door to reveal a completely different apartment to what I had left behind.

The sofa was pushed against the wall, and the bookcase Peeta had assembled was beside it, a few books rested against one another. I dropped my keys onto the phone table, shutting the door behind me as I turned to look around the apartment, but my eyes landed on the feature wall that I had been longing to see.

I pushed my chocolate waves behind my ear, taking a few hesitant steps to get a better view of the wall and my heart literally stopped.

The television was now attached to the wall, which was painted a deep blue, and against the gorgeous colour were small drawings and lashes of paint, which complemented one another nicely.

"Do you like it?" came from the hallway, and my eyes moved to Peeta, who was standing beside the island, his hands in front of him, locked together. He wasn't wearing his work clothes but black jeans with a button up, the sleeves rolled up which emphasized his toned arms. His hair was messy as per usual but it was exactly the way I liked it.

I didn't even notice my mouth fall open as I looked to the wall and to him, a smile making its way onto his perfectly sculpted façade, "It's beautiful."

He stepped forward, coming to stand beside me and look at the wall, "You see, the grey flecks reminded me of your eyes, which I love the colour of. They sparkle when you smile, which is why I've added a few flecks of gold, to symbolize that. I've also drawn some lilies, which is the pink here," He stepped forward, pointing to the beautifully sketched flowers in the corner of the wall.

"These lashes here are to symbolize your eyebrows, which furrow when you read, and your forehead creases as you do, which is something that I love about you," he admitted, his gaze moving to mine as I stood frozen on the spot, probably a good thing, as if I moved, I would probably fall over, "This here is your hair when you wake up, and how it's slightly frazzled and makes you look even more beautiful than you already do. And here," he pointed to the center of the feature wall, to a small sketch of cups, "is my most favorite part, because you make one of the best cups of coffee I've ever had."

And with that, he looked over to me, his face almost unsure, as he waited for my reaction.

I shook my head, and watched as his eyes fell, which wasn't the message I was trying to convey. I hesitated, taking the few needed steps towards him, and as I stood centimeters away from him, his tall frame towering over me, I pressed up on my toes and touched my lips with his. I felt his body relax, his hands moved to my waist as our lips moved slowly, and a soft burning began in my stomach as his thumbs kneaded against my hips comfortingly. I wound my hands around his neck, my fingers playing with the few curls against the back of his neck, and for a moment I felt at peace. His fingers roped through my hair, tugging on my scalp as his tongue traced my bottom lip. Our tongues met hastily, and I happily devoured the taste of him, humming at the woody scent he emitted.

"No one's ever done something like that for me before." I muttered in a small voice against his lips, and I opened my eyes to see his staring back at me, his thumbs now making small circles against my waist.

"Well, if you'd let me, I'd like to make sure I continue to do this for you." He asked, and I nodded without hestitation.

"So, what are you asking me?" I furrowed my eyebrows, smiling as a grin turned up on his face.

"I'm asking if I can continue to see you."

I chuckled, "that all depends on if you're going to stick around."

"I don't think I could spend another second away from you." And with that his lips landed back on mine, and I surrendered to the existence that was Peeta.

a/n

this is just something i wrote a while ago

let me know what you think - it's kinda terrible but its something for you whilst I'm writing Louder Than Words

x


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